


follow me down this road (but only if you love me for me)

by imaginedecember



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-04
Updated: 2014-08-04
Packaged: 2018-02-11 18:29:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2078616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginedecember/pseuds/imaginedecember
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael wants his parents to know that he's happy, that he's healthy and that the main reason is because he found five loving boys to call his own. But they don't seem to agree with his sentiments.</p>
            </blockquote>





	follow me down this road (but only if you love me for me)

**Author's Note:**

> Reason for rating: Michael's parents are not accepting/understanding of his homosexuality nor his lifestyle. They do say that it is not normal but beyond that, they do not use insulting terminology. Also, there's swearing. I apologize if anything in the story is offensive or triggering to anyone. 
> 
> Special note: This is an AU of sorts where it's not high school nor college but they are young adults pre-Achievement Hunter. They have all moved to Austin for one reason or another and it'll be covered in the series. 
> 
> Note: This is for greenpuma88 on tumblr. The prompt given to me is that Michael's parents come down to Texas to find him in a relationship with five other guys and they don't approve of it. The original prompt does include abuse but I did not include that in this story for the simple fact that I can't write that type of abuse.

Michael felt like a teenage girl.

He had said hello to Geoff’s parents, stole his jacket and then high tailed it out of there before they could question him or notice that he was most certainly wearing Ryan’s t-shirt. Then, he went to the mall, sucked up his pride and went to a girly store full of fake jewelry and purses and scarves.

He almost choked to death from the perfume that stuck to the air like molasses. But this was for his boys so he grabbed the charms he needed and disappeared out of the store. Thank god everyone assumed he was getting something for his sister and how sweet he was. Yeah, sweet, okay. He was a very ill tempered bear (or a teddy bear as Gavin liked to believe).

Sticking his tongue out, he stood outside of the mall, stringing the different charms on until they laid together, perfectly and in order. Except Ray’s should be last because he was the youngest. Damn it. Shaking his head, he frowned when his curls bounced in front of his eyes. Brushing them back as best as he could, he returned to the task of rearranging the charms. There. Perfect.

Jack, Gavin and Ray. Lion, _Minecraft_ Creeper, rose. Perfectly them. Perfectly organized. He finally allowed himself to smile as he plopped on to the bench next to him. Staring at himself, he couldn’t help but to love the feeling of home that just seemed to envelope him. He’d have to figure out something for Geoff and Ryan to put on the necklace but for now, their jackets and shirts worked.

Tugging at the sleeves of the shirt that was far too big for him, he curled the ends of the sleeves in his fingers and held them there. He usually could fit himself into a medium t-shirt but Ryan fit snugly in a large or an extra large depending on the shirt. This one happened to be an extra large, one that he used for work so the sweat from muscling about outside didn’t stick to him and the seams. He basically swam in it but it was pleasant wade through a lake, no waves in sight.

And Geoff’s jacket was his favorite. It fit him a bit too snugly considering that despite his size, he had broader shoulders then Geoff. But he really wouldn’t have it any other way. Sighing, he heaved himself up from the bench, deciding that he was finally time to get to the restaurant.

He was meeting his parents today and he wanted to show off his boyfriends to them. They didn’t know of them and they certainly were still a bit iffy on the whole gay thing but they were getting there. It was a process. A slow one. He almost wanted to muck about and refuse to tell them about his five boyfriends. The gay thing was a shock enough for them but Michael was happy. Didn’t they want to see them happy?

Because, gee, isn’t that the one question that someone should ask when they see someone?

_Are you happy?_

_Are you healthy?_

He prayed that his parents wouldn’t bring up schooling or his job. He had managed to scrape by with an uncle that he was close to in Texas, one that would happily house him until he could get jump started in the small electrician business he ran. There was something that was just right about Austin, Texas. And it was most certainly true when he stumbled upon his five boyfriends. And, no, he wasn’t going anywhere or doing anything else (unless that video game company idea from Geoff would come to fruition - which it would - he had faith in him).

He wanted to share these stories with his parents.

_How did all of you meet?_

And they’d be so interested and they’d laugh at the right times and they’d comment on how cute they were and they’d laugh when he’d become embarrassed by the fact that, yes, he was wearing things that reminded him of them and damn it, he was a bit of a hopeless romantic pansy but he was _happy_.

And he just really wished that would come across to them.

Nothing else should really matter.

The old time diner was one that Michael and his boyfriends frequented and they would whine about it at least once a week (damn it, Geoff, the burgers and the milkshakes and Geoff, please - Geoff couldn’t deny his boys anything really). It had a soft spot in his heart and it’d be a good place to start. He didn’t think that his parents would tarnish that image by one simple word.

“Boyfriends?”

There was a heavy emphasis on the ’s’ and it was a question, not stated as a fact. Which it was and would forever would be. Michael Jones had five perfect (fucking insane) boyfriends. Nothing was going to change that.

But his pride for his boys and his happiness smashed into pieces at just one look at his parents’ reactions.

Because it really was the faces they were making that sealed the deal.

They didn’t care.

They weren’t happy.

They didn’t like this.

They didn’t like _him_ anymore. It might have been just the fact that he was in a gay polygamous relationship but his boys were a part of him too. And he felt angry for them. Because how dare his parents not accept that. Couldn’t they see just how much happier he was here, with them? How beyond fucking amazing they all were?

“Do you have a problem with that?”

Michael tried to remain calm. He tried to imagine having the gents with him, keeping his head level and his anger from sparking. But damn it, it wasn’t working. Because his dad was narrowing his eyes at him and his mother was two seconds from crying.

“Yes, Michael. This isn’t…it’s not something that’s normal.”

His mother tried to stumble around, to try and find the correct terminology but her words stung.

“I’m sorry you don’t understand. But it’s something that exists.”

Michael would have added an ‘I’m sorry I’m fucked up for loving humans’ but there wasn’t any time for that because his father was standing up and his mother was gathering her wits before joining him.

As they did so, he decided, for once, to let his voice be heard.

“I’m not going to apologize for who I fucking am, alright? You can either take it or leave it.”

Michael Jones wasn’t one to fuck around with people who hated him or didn’t give a fuck about him. And it seemed that his parents didn’t want to be there for him, at the best moment in his life, simply because they didn’t want to take the time to understand a concept that was around forever but was just more known now.

The relationship with his parents had been strained since he came out and moved down to Austin. He figured that telling him that he was happy, in love (so, so in love) and healthy that it would mend things. Their son was all right. He was still the person they loved from the beginning. But his parents were blind to some things.

“I think it’s best we leave, Michael.”

And that was the last words he heard from his mother, his father not deciding to say a damn thing. His silence was enough of an answer from him.

Michael was lucky that he was wearing his beanie. Tugging it down further, he hid his eyes under the cloth and tried to focus on the fact that everything would be all right. It was better this way.

Wasn’t it?

***

The first of his boyfriends he found afterwards was Ryan.

Michael was not one to like being physically touched but, really, that was all because he had never been touched by anyone he truly cared about. No friends and, god, certainly not any lovers. And never his family. It took Gavin clambering on his shoulders the first time they met for him to freeze and the others were quick to usher Gavin off but Michael’s heart was bursting at the warmth that poured from the younger like he was a goddamn sun. And it felt strange. Strange but right.

He held on to Gavin tighter and from then on, everyone saw the go ahead to touch him as they pleased and when someone else besides them tried to, a discouraging look was enough for them to back off. Michael felt protected and safe and it never once made him feel weak. Because he was strong and he knew who he was goddamn it and if he liked to have physical affection then so be it. It didn’t mean he was a pansy. It meant he was loved.

Except he wasn’t as strong as he would like to hope. He wished that he could forget the looks and the words from his parents. And he had, for the most part. But it was still freshly imprinted in his mind.

And, so, he sought out a touch from one of his boyfriends. The first he saw just happened to be Ryan. He actually was not too far from the diner and Michael was thankful that he took this street to use for his brooding. 

Even so, he loved all of his boys but four of them were not the ones he needed at the moment. It was a thing not really spoken of but everyone understood. Each of them had their own safety blankets.

Ray would go to Ryan, Gavin would go to either gent depending on what he needed, and Michael, well, he would go to Geoff.

So, it was a strange surprise for Ryan to have an arm full of Michael.

“Geoff’s at a job interview with that tech support company. I can text him for you,” Ryan suggested. His voice dropped into a low rumble and, yeah, Michael could understand why Ray would latch on to him. Looping his arms around Ryan’s mid-section, he buried his face in his shirt and inhaled as much as he could. It really wasn’t helping that he had a piece of all his lovers with him. It wasn’t the real thing.

“I just…”

Michael found it hard to breath, hard to speak.

Ryan gripped his shoulders, pushing him back from his chest until he could observe the emotions whipping around in his boyfriend’s eyes. Frowning, he curled a hand around the back of Michael’s neck, rubbing the tension away with a well-practiced thumb. Jesus. Michael was going to end up asleep if Ryan continued. Thank god, he didn’t. After a few precious seconds, Ryan stopped and instead moved his hands to cradle Michael’s jaw.

“Hey, sweetie, breathe with me, okay?”

And that was something Michael could easily follow. He traced Ryan’s every breath, watching his diaphragm expand and retract with each inhale and exhale. It was easy copying the pattern and eventually, Michael felt soothed enough to be able to handle whatever the fuck emotions were chaining him. Smiling encouragingly, Ryan lifted his left hand to ruffle his curls. And Michael couldn’t help but to grin back at him. This was okay. Everything would be okay.

“Good boy,” Ryan praised. One thumb pressed into his jaw, the other massaging his temple and jesus, Ryan must have taken pointers from Geoff. If Michael were a cat, he would have been purring. But he fucking hated cats so he threw that thought aside and decided to let Ryan know. He owed his boyfriend that fucking much.

“My parents came down, said they wanted to see me. I decided to tell them about us. Terrible decision,” Michael murmured. Shrugging off Ryan’s concerned expression, he spoke as nonchalantly as he could. “I told them to fuck off and they left.”

It was actually good that Michael had found Ryan first. Walking over to the front porch, he sat down and patted the empty spot beside him. Michael furrowed his eyebrows as he sat beside the older man. Ryan leaned on his shoulder, smiling up at him. And it certainly was not the reaction Michael thought he was gonna get.

“You and I are quite alike, Michael. We both got shitty parents,” Ryan explained. Michael had never heard that before and he felt like he was discovering all sorts of things from his lovers lately. That was part of the fun. He got the privilege of knowing five other souls. It was a journey, one he never wanted to end.

He didn’t understand why his parents did not see the beauty in that. He didn’t understand what was so wrong about their love when really there were more people involved and that was it.

They may have had problems but that was from juggling five other people plus yourself. It led to some miscommunication issues and not everyone was on board with five lovers or used to being romantically committed in general. But that was where they shined. Because they could overcome those. They could be just as strong and have a solid foundation. So, what was wrong with that?

Michael never saw the flaws. They were imperfectly perfect. If his parents couldn’t understand that, then they didn’t deserve to be a part of his life.

“Well, I know how that feels,” Michael joked. Chuckling, Ryan kissed his shoulder and was happy to find that Michael was wearing Geoff’s jacket. The younger was just too adorable. Wrapping his arms around Michael’s middle, he squeezed him tight and held him close to his chest. Hooking his chin over his shoulder, he kissed his neck and then his cheek.

That was another thing that Michael loved to figure out about Ryan; he loved kissing anything he could. It was odd considering that Ryan just seemed to be a silent force that did not like to cuddle or snuggle or anything like that. But kissing was his weakness. And the occasional cuddle was always good for those long days.

“Very cute, Michael,” Ryan chided before continuing, “But my parents were born and raised in the south. Their ideals were very strict and none of them included allowing a gay son to be in their mists. I knew it wouldn’t go well so I left them a letter and high tailed it to here before they could even blink. Good thing I had friends down here. I count my blessings every day for them and for you boys.” Michael turned a bit in his hold so he could grab Ryan’s left hand, interlacing their fingers together. This way, he could also tilt his head back to look at him if he needed to.

“Do you hear from them ever?” Michael wondered what the fall out was like but by Ryan’s hardened stare, it wasn’t good. The older male was staring out at the front lawn as if it could give him the answers to life. Michael’s fingers detached from the other’s hand, instead trailing up his arm and curling around his bicep.

“Occasionally, I’ll send a letter to them explaining how things are going here. I never hear back but…it helps.” He felt like Ryan was slowly trying to convince him to do the same and it did sound like a good idea, one that Michael could easily get behind. But sending them? He wasn’t sure if he could.

It wasn’t like he was actually talking to them face to face so it wouldn’t be that bad but he still had to think of the fact that they’d see them and what would they think if they did? But, really, at the end of the day, they didn’t deserve to be in his life but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t keep them updated. And, besides, it’d be a good thing to go down those good memories, the ones of how they all got together.

He never wanted to forget those precious moments and maybe, just maybe, his parents would hear the love pouring from his words and they’d come to understand it. But Michael wasn’t going to waste time hoping for something like that. Like Ryan, he’d send them and that would be that. Response or not, he’d continue to do it.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Michael agreed. He could feel the upturn of Ryan’s lips against his neck as he rocked him back and forth.

“I’ll text Geoff. See when he’s done,” Ryan spoke. Reluctantly, he let go of Michael and stood from the porch. Leaning against the beams holding up the porch, Michael sought out the warmth ingrained in the wood, somehow hoping it would make up for the lack of heat from Ryan’s body. It had been comforting him but he knew Ryan had things to do, a life to live, money to get. He’d just cuddle with Ryan later. He knew Ryan would need it. Mondays were always the hardest.

“Thanks, Ryebread.”

“Of course.”

A hand settled on the crown of his head, massaging his skull gingerly as he leaned against the same post that Michael was resting against. His free hand tapped at the keyboard on his phone until the message was written and sent.

“Where are the others?” Michael questioned.

“Gavin had a shift at the cafe. I think he’ll be home by three, though. And Ray has his shift at GameStop. Although, I think he’ll be home later then Gavin. Jack’s with his dad at a construction job.” Running his fingers along the sides of his phone, he tilted his head to the side. “It’s Monday. You know they have shifts during the week.”

Sighing, Michael slumped forward as he toyed with the ends of Geoff’s jacket. The necklace that he wore shifted and the charms clanked together with the movement.

“I just want a day with all of us is all.” Michael was good at schooling his expression and making it seem as though nothing bothered him and most things didn’t but when it came to his boys, all of the love he had buried burst out. It still left some of them blinded. 

“A late dinner, then? I’m sure everyone will be home then.” Ryan’s hand left Michael’s head as he used both to swipe through his phone and read Geoff’s message. “Geoff said he was done and that he’ll head here.” He was too busy typing out an address to see Michael stand up but he wasn’t too scatterbrained to not feel lips press against his own. Michael’s hands lowered his phone as he stood on his tip toes to kiss Ryan properly. The older male sunk into the feeling, letting their lips mold against the other and curve and press. Leaning back, Michael smiled. The cocky little thing. Raising a single eyebrow, Ryan shoved his phone in his pocket. With his hands free, he hooked his fingers into Michael’s belt loops and pulled him forward until their belt buckles clinked. “Hm, you look damn good in my shirt, Michael.” His voice had hit that low rumble again but this time it made things a bit hazy in Michael’s mind. Suddenly, cold hands were trailing his hipbones and tapping at the bone that jutted out. Turning his head, his smile turned bright as his eyes landed on Geoff standing behind him.

“Hey, now, why does everything good happen when I’m gone?” he whined. Scoffing, Michael kissed his pout away, humming underneath his breath as Geoff licked the seam of his lips. Ryan used his hold on Michael’s belt loops to pull him back and break the kiss.

“Ryan, I was enjoying that,” Michael grumbled. Ryan’s smirk was practically deadly as he let go of Michael and stepped down the porch steps to return to his original duties of getting the lawn mowed.

“Hey, Ryan said that you needed me for something?” Geoff questioned, pulling Michael from the image of Ryan in nothing but a tank top revving the engine for a lawn mower.

Turning his gaze on Geoff, Michael felt like he was under sudden scrutiny. The way Geoff could just switch tactics like that left him breathless sometimes and he hurried to catch up to the new topic. It wasn’t exactly a topic he liked but after talking with Ryan, he felt a bit better letting his other boys know.

“Met the parents today. They didn’t like…they didn’t understand everything.”

Using the term ‘everything’ was a bit vague but Michael was curling into him and finding that spot that he liked - the notch between his neck and shoulder - perfect for nuzzling and forgetting everything. He latched his fingernails into his shirt, frowning when he found that Geoff was wearing a button down. Terrible choice for the weather but he assumed it was for his interview. He hoped he got it but he knew he did.

Everyone who knew Geoff appreciated his laid back, all too caring and protective attitude. It was what drew Michael to him in the first place. It went straight back to that safety blanket thing. Geoff just had this aura and his woodsy smell made it all the better.

Michael was two seconds from finding a way to inhale his shirt when two pairs of cold hands pressed into the skin at the back of his neck. And, yeah, Ryan was good but Geoff knew all the soft spots to dig into.

It felt too intimate to be doing this on the front porch of someone else’s home but Michael wasn’t fucking moving for shit. The world could be going to total shit and Michael would be content to be sharing a tiny space with Geoff, smothered in his stupid soothing aura.

“They’re probably like everyone else nowadays. A thing comes out that they don’t understand and they immediately run from it. And who knows. They might have probably never heard of it before until you brought it up. It’s going to take a lot to get used to. I’d say give them time. If nothing pans out in a few years, then I’d say you can move on.”

Michael knew Geoff was right and Ryan was too and if he asked his other lovers, they’d probably say along the same thing. Backing away from Geoff, he looped his arms around his neck and tried to smile but it came out shaky.

_It’s just hard. It’s really hard._

Geoff watched Michael closely as his fingers toyed with the necklace, shifting the charms around. He couldn’t help the fond smile that etched into his lips at the sight of them all. Michael looked damn lovely like this, proudly showing off his love for his boys.

_Fuck everyone. I have you._

He could practically hear those words coming out of his mouth. Slipping his fingers along the soft skin at the back of his neck, Geoff kissed each cheek and then his lips. Just a quick peck. Michael reciprocated, except only kissing his right cheek and then his lips. A little sign that everything was all right despite how much his hands still trembled and how tonight he knew that sleep was not going to come easy. At least he could share it with Ryan.

“You okay, baby boy?” Geoff finally asked.

And when Michael turned his eyes on him, still somehow bright with that inextinguishable flame hidden deep in his soul, he knew the boy would be okay. He’d slip but his boys would always be there to catch him. Like the best of trust falls.

Letting go of Michael, he turned on his heel and walked down the front steps. Michael rushed to catch up to him, latching his fingers into the back of his shirt. He noted that some of the stitches were a bit torn there and he felt sheepish at how many times he seemed to do that with everyone but Geoff’s quick fire laugh was all he needed to assure him that everything was good. Everything was all right.

The two managed to shout their goodbyes to Ryan over the engine of the lawn mower and the two watched him disappear into the backyard for a few moments before heading to the cafe to visit Gavin and to have lunch. Their hands interlaced between them and their arms swung together in time. It couldn’t match the melody of their laughs and the trail of their conversations but it was enough.

Everything was good.

Everything was all right.

***

After telling the rest of his boys about his parents, he was surprised to find that it was actually Gavin that had convinced him to send the bundle of letters up to New Jersey and had offered to go with him to the post office.

Gavin was someone who moved on from things in life. There was no point in dwelling. Just move on because where you’re going is probably somewhere better. And maybe that was why he was convincing him to send them. To move on. And if they read them, so be it. If not, that was fine too. Family was more than blood, anyway, and Michael had quite the family here in Austin. If his parents decided to be a part of that someday, then fine. But he wasn’t going to wait for them. He’d move on because right now, he couldn’t do much more than that.

Gavin gave him a bright smile as he wrapped his arms around his neck, latching on to him as he pushed the bundle of letters into the giant mailbox at the post office. When all of them were resting safely inside, he turned around in Gavin’s hold and wrapped his arms around his middle.

The two stood there in front of the mailbox, acting as if they had sealed their life away in those letters. And Michael practically had because every detail of how he met them was written there. Poorly written because his handwriting was shit and he was no poet (even though he could wax poetry about his boys for days - no matter how much nothing seemed to rhyme and none of the descriptions could hold up as well as the real deal). But written nonetheless. 

All he had right now were the seeds of hope and as he turned away from the post office with Gavin laughing and bubbling with a kind of joy that he could never match, he planted the seeds and buried them deep.

Someday, he hoped that he wouldn’t be the only one watering them.

But for now, having his boys with him was enough for him.

Because he was healthy.

And he was undoubtedly happy.


End file.
